Dark Curses
by Dark Flames of Light
Summary: Darkkit is not what any cat thinks she is. Scarring events lie in the path of her destiny. When Darkkit follows this path, will her soul completely survive?
1. Chapter 1

(A Very Short) **Prologue**

...

"She's not what any cat thinks she is!"

"I agree completely, but we really shouldn't-"

"Can't we just leave the issue alone for now? I'm exhausted!"

The small black kit woke to the sound of cats arguing around her. Darkness stretched for skylengths in every direction. "Where am I?" she mewed drowsily.

A voice right next to the kit's ear made her jump. The scent of smoke washed over her. "That's not important right now. Go back to sleep," the voice said calmly.

"But...but I _am_ asleep! Aren't I?" the kit said, becoming more confused with each passing moment.

A meow of laughter on the kit's other side made her jump again. She started to panic, vaguely realizing it was becoming harder for her to form thoughts. "Why are you laughing?" she warily whispered into the darkness, fear gripping her like a talon.

There was no response. A piercing wail reached the helpless kit's ears, making her wince. As the darkness started to swirl and twist into shapes, the kit heard a third cat somewhere in the endless black landscape.

"You will someday have answers, Darkkit."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I'll try to update more often because you liked it so much! :3**

Darkkit woke with a spasm of fright. She felt as though she had witnessed a violent death. She shivered, seeking the comfort of her family. Ravenflower, Darkkit's mother, was still asleep. Careful not to wake her, Darkkit crept out of the nursery. Her brothers Breezekit and Cloudkit were playfully wrestling outside. Lightening up a bit, Darkkit ran out to join them.

"I'm a fox!" she squealed, leaping onto her siblings. Cloudkit broke away from the furry mass, his pale gray fur matted. "But your fur is black! Foxes aren't black!" Cloudkit purred, clearly amused. A rush of happiness ran through Darkkit. She knew her family would always be there to cheer her up.

Darkkit was pretending to be upset. "I can have black fur! I'm a nightmare fox!" she growled, climbing on top of Cloudkit. Breezekit launched himself at both of them, knocking Darkkit to the ground. "If you're a nightmare fox, you must be from the Dark Forest!" Breezekit said. He playfully swiped at her throat, being careful not to hurt her. "Well, I'm going to be a good cat and end up in StarClan someday!" Darkkit said, pushing herself back onto her paws.

The kits suddenly noticed that Ravenflower was sitting just tail-lengths away from them and watching them play. "I'm sure you will all walk with StarClan," she mewed, licking the kits' heads. "But remember, you have to serve the Clan well and do good things. Now, quiet down, Woodenstar needs to make an announcement."

A strong tabby tom jumped onto the Highledge. Darkkit always felt proud when she remembered that the ThunderClan leader was her father. She glanced beside her and saw that her family was watching Woodenstar intently. Darkkit copied them, wondering how her life would turn out before she joined StarClan.

Woodenstar already had most of the Clan's attention before he called a meeting. "I proudly announce that today, my three kits become six moons old." Darkkit's ears twitched in surprise. The kits hadn't known their age until it was announced. Breezekit and Cloudkit glanced at each other excitedly. Ravenflower looked completely content. Darkkit could tell she already felt proud of her kits.

Breezekit and Cloudkit became apprentices before Darkkit. Both of their assigned mentors looked friendly and welcoming. Woodenstar finally called Darkkit forward. He spoke the ceremonial words used for countless moons. "Darkkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Darkpaw."

Darkpaw felt a glow of pride. She already knew she was going to cause great changes to many cats' lives. She knew she would be an amazing member of the Clan.

"Your mentor will be Eaglefall," Woodenstar continued. A brown tom sitting in the back of the crowd came forward to touch noses with Darkpaw. Suddenly, every feeling inside of Darkpaw changed. Something about being near Eaglefall didn't feel right.

The situation got even worse when their noses touched. Darkpaw felt flashes of torture through her whole body, and she had no idea why. No cat noticed. They were all happily chanting Darkpaw's name, oblivious to her pain.

She gasped with relief when Eaglefall finally stepped back. Memories of her nightmare returned. Darkpaw remembered the endless panic she had felt. It took all her strength to keep herself from running away from the camp. The ceremony was over, and Darkpaw saw Breezepaw and Cloudpaw talking to their mentors excitedly. She sighed, realizing her family would never know what was happening to her, no matter how comforting they were.

Eaglefall was still standing next to Darkpaw. She warily looked up at him, fearing the stern look in his eyes. "I'll show you around the territory tomorrow. You should be awake by sunrise, so sleep well," Eaglefall said calmly. Darkpaw was surprised. The older cat's voice was so friendly, yet he looked hostile. Uncomfortable, Darkpaw nodded and headed towards the apprentices' den.

Just before Darkpaw slipped inside, she thought she saw a menacing figure follow Woodenstar into his den. Darkpaw sighed, preparing herself for more nightmares. _It's probably just my imagination..._


	3. Chapter 3

Darkpaw was startled by whispering around her. She blinked several times, but nothing came into focus. The world around her was a dark blur. She knew she was dreaming again when she recognized the whispers of the cats. Darkpaw realized she was also standing on solid ground. She took a step forward in the darkness, fearing everything. When her paw touched the ground, a bright blue light started to grow around it. Darkpaw gasped as she caught the shapes of trees in the dim light. Among them was the faint outline of Woodenstar.

"Come forward, Darkpaw. Come forward," one of the unknown voices whispered to her. The deep meow echoed across the dark landscape, making Darkpaw shiver. She slowly placed her other paw forward, and a red light formed. Woodenstar's outline slowly became clearer. Darkpaw shook with fright. She didn't know how she knew, but something was very wrong. She also knew that she couldn't live in the darkness forever. She couldn't be ignorant forever. "The truth will be revealed," a misty voice whispered to the apprentice. As suddenly as the light appeared, it vanished, and Darkpaw was left alone again.

Darkpaw awoke with a shudder, feeling cold. The moon was still low in the black sky. Darkpaw sighed, knowing she had barely slept at all. She tried to force herself to fall back asleep, but she noticed something about the sky that stopped her. The moon was very close to the horizon. The sky was much too black for the time to be moonrise. Afraid, Darkpaw sighed and left the den to sit outside and think. She wondered why she had to notice things no other cat did. She lost herself in her mind, only startled out of it when a familiar cat emerged from the warriors' den. Darkpaw felt every muscle in her body tense at the sight of him.

The warrior padded over to sit down next to Darkpaw. "Hello, Eaglefall," she mewed hesitantly. Being around him still made her very unsettled. Eaglefall greeted her and said, "What are you doing awake this late? Everyone else fell asleep around sunset." Darkpaw could hear the genuine concern in his meow. She felt frustrated, wondering why she couldn't trust him. "I had a nightmare," Darkpaw said quietly. She didn't know what else to say, and she was relieved when Eaglefall didn't question her further. He gently touched his nose to her head. "It'll be better in the morning. Try to sleep well," he said reassuringly. Eaglefall swiftly got up and returned to his den to sleep. Darkpaw sighed. Suddenly, a dark thought formed in her mind, and she shivered again. _It won't get better, because no one would understand what's happening to me._

...

"Woodenstar, may I talk to you?" Ravenflower asked anxiously, standing at the entrance to the leader's den. Woodenstar came out of the shadows and nuzzled her. "Of course you can. Is something bothering you?" he asked. Ravenflower shifted from side to side, not knowing how to express her thought. "Well...are you sure you made the right choice when you chose Eaglefall to mentor Darkpaw?"

Woodenstar's eyes clouded over with confusion. "Darkpaw and Eaglefall both show great wisdom, though they are both young. I believe he will guide her well. Why are you asking?" Ravenflower looked even more uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and said, "Darkpaw gets much quieter around him, and there is nothing else in her life that she could possibly be bothered by." Woodenstar looked into Ravenflower's eyes. Woodenstar's gaze was intense and full of deep meaning. "You're wrong about that. Every cat goes through trouble as an apprentice, but sometimes they don't even realize they're stressed," he said.

Ravenflower looked startled by her mate's words. "Darkpaw is very confident that she will have great ability to serve the Clan, but if there's something holding her back..." she started. Woodenstar interrupted her thought by saying, "She will do well. She seemed excited this morning when Eaglefall took her out to explore."

Ravenflower sighed. She decided against describing the slight worry she saw on her daughter's face. Woodenstar brushed Ravenflower's side with one paw to calm her. "Ravenflower, I promise you, Darkpaw will be okay," he whispered. "Why don't you go and hunt? You'll be productive and take your mind off of this."

"Thank you, Woodenstar," Ravenflower said tiredly, licking his ear before leaving the camp. She felt like she could breathe again when she was surrounded by trees. The crisp, fresh air made her feel alert and truly alive. She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself more, but she caught the faint scent of blood in the air. Ravenflower forgot about her relaxation and quickly followed the scent, wondering if a cat had been injured. A stern meow broke through Ravenflower's concentration. "What are you doing here?"

Ravenflower looked up, trying to process what was happening. She looked around to see where she was, noticing that she had left the forest far behind. _Oh...I must have accidentally left ThunderClan territory._ "I'm sorry. I was tracking...a scent, and I didn't realize I left my territory," Ravenflower said weakly. She had never been in a situation like this and didn't know what to do.

She finally noticed the scent of WindClan. A large she-cat was standing over her, staring at her angrily. Ravenflower refused to meet her eyes. She apologized again and asked, "Can I return to ThunderClan...?" The WindClan cat rolled her eyes. "I'll escort you back to your territory," she said.

The cat walked very close to Ravenflower, making sure she didn't try to steal prey. The smell of blood was stronger in WindClan, and Ravenflower was starting to feel unsure of herself. She didn't know why she could pick up the scent from ThunderClan territory, or why it bothered her so much. Suddenly losing herself, Ravenflower stopped walking and ran back the other way, toward WindClan's camp. She heard the other she-cat gasp and follow her, trying to stop her. Ravenflower had the camp in her sight when she noticed that someone was calling her name. She stopped moving, and the WindClan cat took the opportunity to attack Ravenflower.

...

The night was quiet in WindClan territory. Silverstar sat in a clearing, watching tall grass wave in the light wind. She looked up at the stars, and a heavy feeling settled on her chest. A very bright star, the brightest one in the sky, caught Silverstar's attention. _I don't think I'll ever be among them,_ she thought. She lightly placed a paw on the dark cat peacefully lying next to her. When she took her paw away, it was covered in blood.

Silverstar realized in that moment how peaceful the unconscious world could be. She thought about how calm things were in StarClan, and she thought about how she could never have that calm. With a sigh, she gently lifted the cat onto her back and returned to her camp.


	4. Chapter 4

A ginger tom gently stalked a mouse through the lifeless trees. It suddenly turned to look at him, and he gasped, preparing himself to chase it.

The mouse didn't run. It barely even moved. The tom thought it was frozen with fear, but then he had another thought.

 _This mouse is the only other living thing here._

It wasn't afraid at all. It was staring at the tom with a strange look of wonder and hope. It almost looked happy because something else was alive.

Distant whispers reached the tom's ears. "Flamefang...join us," they said creepily. The mouse seemed to have heard the disembodied voices, for it ran away in fear.

A dark, swirling hole seemed to be ripped into the air. Flamefang was enchanted by the darkness. It looked like a peaceful place where he could have power.

Flamefang slowly started to walk forward. He felt some strange force trying to pull him back, but he knew any effort to stop him would be pointless.

He knew he belonged with the darkness.

Memories of Flamefang's life flashed around him.

He saw his mother, who had been found dead in the middle of the forest. Her cause of death was never known.

Flamefang saw his father, whose violent behaviors had gotten him exiled. No cat understood what caused him to attack.

Finally, Flamefang was tortured with the vivid memory of his sister's death. It was a harsh winter, and Stormpaw wasn't strong enough to survive.

Everything was filled with darkness. The one memory Flamefang didn't have was of a peaceful day.

Even when he was a kit, Flamefang could sense there was something wrong with him. He had tried many times to express his emotion.

No living soul knew what was wrong. Flamefang noticed, and he eventually stopped trying.

The large, black hole was only a few pawsteps away from him. He sighed, knowing there would at least be some peace there.

 _Maybe someday I'll be okay._

Flamefang stretched out a paw to feel the darkness. He somehow felt more powerful, and excitement rushed through him.

Not everything was dark and empty, Flamefang realized. He knew he would find something great on the other side.

The darkness felt like falling snow. It stung with cold, but there was something calming about it.

Flamefang let all of the depressing thoughts go through his head before he entered the darkness. He knew he would release them soon.

Finally, he cleared his mind. He breathed deeply.

He closed his eyes and walked forward, feeling a cool wind wash over him as he left the dark world.

...

...

 **I was feeling dark and suspenseful :) Sorry it's short, but I should have more up soon**

 **Thanks for reading**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm sorry I haven't been here in forever, school is being horrible '-' but I should be updating my stories a lot over the next couple days**

 **...**

Darkpaw felt a flash of emotion surge through her and woke, gasping for breath. The area was pitch-black, but Darkpaw knew she was awake and not having a nightmare. She sighed shakily and slowly got up. Wondering if she was alone, she tasted the air. Darkpaw could scent rain, but no other cats.

She realized she was in a den. She anxiously padded out, surprised when she saw the shape of another cat. "Where am I? I don't think my sense of smell is working well," Darkpaw mewed, trying to sound casual. The cat moved closer to her, and she recognized the silver-furred she-cat. Cold horror flashed inside Darkpaw's mind. "Silverstar...?"

"This is the WindClan camp. Do you remember why you are here?" Silverstar whispered with clear authority. "N-no, I don't..." Darkpaw stammered, not knowing what to say. _How in the name of StarClan did this happen?_

Silverstar breathed deeply. "I...it's really a confusing story," she said, suddenly seeming timid. Darkpaw wondered why she wasn't immediately banished from the camp, but decided not to say anything. "Tell me," Darkpaw responded quietly, feeling colder and colder with each passing moment.

"Well...you ran all the way here, just like your mother did, and-" Silverstar abruptly stopped talking, interrupted by Darkpaw. "Ravenflower? Where is she? Is she okay?" she asked hurriedly. Silverstar flicked her long silver tail, silencing the apprentice. "That isn't the subject of this conversation. Now, please let me continue," Silverstar said firmly. Darkpaw was almost relieved to hear the tone of a leader; she had no idea what to expect.

"You ran like wind, faster than any cat should be able to run." Darkpaw shivered as she heard these words, remembering supernatural nightmares. "No WindClan cat could stop you. With endless energy, you burst into the camp...and you...said something," Silverstar said, her meow lower than a whisper. Darkpaw was still very confused by the fact that a dignified leader was talking about this casually. "Why did I..." she started, trailing off when she realized no cat knew the answer.

Silverstar looked into Darkpaw's eyes, gently stroking a paw across her side. "There is a lot that you cannot know," Silverstar said calmly, almost sounding motherly. Darkpaw shifted, unnerved. It wasn't at all within reason for the WindClan leader to be treating Darkpaw like her kit. Darkpaw cleared her throat. She shifted more and suddenly realized her side was covered in dried blood.

"I don't remember any of this," Darkpaw whispered urgently. Her entire existence felt wrong. Fear rose inside her. The demons of her nightmares threatened to take over her. _Maybe that's why I remember nothing. Maybe some other force did this..._

Silverstar said darkly, "And maybe you should be glad you don't remember." Her eyes clouded over with an unreadable expression. Darkpaw was so cold that she felt like her heart was encased in ice. Her soul was just a deep snowdrift, burying any chance of life or growth. Darkpaw felt like she was dead. "What did I say?" she whispered. Silverstar stared deeply at Darkpaw, faint moonlight reflecting off her eyes.

 _"They are gone, and lost, and dead, though the words have not been said."_


	6. Chapter 6

"You...you have to be completely insane!" Darkpaw meowed, starting to feel breathless. "There's no way any of that could have possibly happened! I don't believe this..." She trailed off, staring into the distance. She swore she saw a black shape streak across the sky. Silverstar interrupted her thinking. "I don't understand either. Now, I think you should leave," she said, sounding troubled. Darkpaw was almost positive the WindClan leader was insane. She had always known there was something troubling her soul, but it couldn't possibly go this far.

Darkpaw didn't respond to Silverstar. She slowly left the camp, feeling the leader's intense gaze on her back. Darkpaw was almost back to ThunderClan territory when a sudden, strong wind picked up. She gasped in surprise, losing her balance. She glanced up at the sky, and another dark shape raced across her vision. The shape slightly resembled a cat, but it had strange things growing out of it. At least, that's what it looked like. The dark shapes only stayed a moment before vanishing as quickly as they had come.

One figure, though, seemed to get closer to Darkpaw. She tried to back away from it, hyperventilating with terror. Whispers came with another sudden burst of wind. _"They are gone and lost and dead, though the words have not been said...they have not yet been spoken, but everything around is already broken."_

Weight settled inside Darkpaw's head. Unblinking, she stared at the approaching shape. It came toward her slowly and unsteadily, yet somehow it had the flawless grace of a hawk. Darkpaw just barely managed to whisper before everything conquered her. "StarClan...please don't take me yet...I need a chance to live..."

The dark mass in front of her was made of shadows, swirling shadows that swallowed all light around them. Two bright red orbs faded into view, resembling eyes. A pair of shiny black wings formed from somewhere inside the shadows. The shape was a cat, one that looked demonic and evil. However, Darkpaw thought she saw a flash of regret inside the red.

 _This can't really be happening._

That was the last thought Darkpaw had before the world around her faded, replaced by darkness.

...

 _"Flamefang, I don't understand anything about this. How did I get here? How did you get here? Where are we, anyway?" Darkpaw mewed. There was no more emotion left for her to feel. Every thought, every action, had become a dark blur of nothingness._

 _"We were both brought here by pain, Darkpaw. That may be all I can say right now," Flamefang whispered to the young she-cat. "But, I do have something else important to say. Look at those trees over there," he continued, gesturing with his tail. Darkpaw saw trees in the distance. They were charred and dead, but there were green leaves on the branches._

 _"Go and find yourself, Darkpaw. Go search the forest, and don't come back until you know who you are," Flamefang said, his voice like a swift river._

...

...

 **Sorry I'm probably confusing you to death, and sorry this is one of my shorter chapters...but I'm trying to build a plotline that makes sense and hopefully it will eventually xD**

 **thanks for reading**


	7. Chapter 7

**long explainy chapter where some things get explained**

 **Thank you all for reading and reviewing :)**

 **...**

Darkpaw was alone, wandering through the trees and reflecting on everything that had happened. Some things were so confusing that she still struggled to piece them together. But, she had managed to figure out some of what occurred. Only a few sunrises ago, Darkpaw was doing the same thing in ThunderClan territory. The trees were bright and alive, instead of half-dead like these trees were.

Her mind was nothing near bright or alive. Demons took over her, making her run out of the territory in panic. She had been badly injured, and by the time she ran into the WindClan camp, nothing was left of her soul. It had been so badly invaded that Darkpaw started to say horrifying things. Every WindClan cat noticed her, but only Silverstar cared. Darkpaw wondered if WindClan was filled with heartless cats.

She still didn't know what had caused the leader to care. Maybe she was the only good cat in her Clan, or maybe she knew something about Darkpaw. The only thing Darkpaw realized was that Silverstar had made sure she was okay.

Ravenflower was nowhere to be found. Darkpaw didn't know what had happened to her, but she knew her mother was lost.

When Darkpaw tried to leave WindClan, the demons started to surround her again. The dark soul of a cat had come to her, and Darkpaw only remembered fainting after that. She had woken up in a world that was similar to her nightmares. The first thing she saw was a ginger cat, alone and trembling. Darkpaw could barely recall befriending Flamefang. She just knew she believed in him.

Neither of them knew where they were, what they were doing, or if they were dead or alive. Flamefang seemed to know a little bit about where they were, though. He had instincts that told him it was a special, meaningful place, so he had sent Darkpaw to explore.

"Go and find yourself, Darkpaw. Go search the forest, and don't come back until you know who you are," Flamefang had said to her. Darkpaw hated being alone again, but there was something about Flamefang that made her trust him with her life.

Darkpaw blinked, pushing memories to the back of her mind. She continued walking through the forest, starting to grow wary. Creatures that sounded like snakes kept hissing from the trees. Darkpaw heard something growl every so often. She knew that wherever she was, it wasn't safe, but somehow she wanted to go further.

Suddenly, Darkpaw realized why she wasn't too intimidated to turn back, and why she kept going forward. This was the closest she had ever been to discovering why she had been haunted her entire life. Every pawstep she took brought her nearer and nearer to the truth.

For the first time, Darkpaw wondered how her family and her Clan were feeling. Woodenstar, Cloudpaw, and Breezepaw were probably troubled by losing her and Ravenflower. Darkpaw sighed, wishing that she could have an average life. Her grief was interrupted by a huge bird landing in front of her.

The bird wasn't like anything Darkpaw had ever seen before. It was dark purple with some blue feathers, and it was much larger than a cat. It watched Darkpaw with bright red eyes. She could feel the hostility the bird was giving off.

Darkpaw stepped backwards in surprise and fear, but it felt wrong for some reason. She forced herself to be calm and stepped back again. Discomfort spread through her, and she realized she really wanted to attack the bird. _That's crazy, it'll probably kill me,_ she thought.

Darkpaw dismissed the thought of being reasonable and launched herself forward, managing to cling on to the bird's wing. It let out a loud screech and tried to stab her with its sharp beak. Gasping, she let go of the bird. It flapped its wings angrily and rose into the air. It then swooped toward Darkpaw and caught her in its talons.

Darkpaw panicked as she was lifted off the ground, then painfully twisted in its talons. She desperately swiped at every part of the bird she could reach. It shrieked violently, releasing Darkpaw completely. Her panic grew as she fell several tail-lengths to the ground. _If the end hasn't already happened, then this is it._

She hit the ground hard, feeling pain through her entire body. As Darkpaw laid there, unmoving, she thought she might be dead. But, she was still in the same place she was when the bird landed.

"Don't worry. Cats don't easily die here," a nearby cat mewed. Darkpaw struggled to her paws, breathing heavily. "Who are you?" she asked. She couldn't see the cat, but she scented it.

A brown she-cat emerged from the trees, walking casually like nothing had happened. "I'm Mossflight. Why are you traveling through this forest?" she asked. Darkpaw shifted her paws, pain rushing through her. "My name is Darkpaw. I don't know why I'm in this world, but I'm in this forest because I...I want to find answers," she said.

Mossflight nodded, understanding in her eyes. "No one knows why this world exists. If you want, I can come with you," she responded quickly. Darkpaw was surprised but decided to let Mossflight come. Darkpaw wanted a chance to ask her how she had gotten into the forest, and it would be good to have company.

"Okay. Maybe together we can..." Darkpaw trailed off, realizing there were so many ways she could end her sentence.

Mossflight draped her tail across Darkpaw's shoulders comfortingly. "Maybe together we can find answers to all of our questions?" Mossflight finished for her.

Darkpaw hesitated, considering everything that was going on in her life, and nodded. Together, the two cats moved deeper into the forest, bracing themselves for the next horrible thing in their lives.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm at the point where I don't exactly know what I'm planning on doing next (writer's block), so if the updates start to slow down that's probably why**

...

As Darkpaw and Mossflight padded through the half-dead forest, whispers rose around them. Darkpaw shuddered, stepping closer to the older she-cat. "I've wanted to ask you, Mossflight...how did you get here?"

Mossflight looked very relaxed as she answered, staring into the sky. "This forest has been my home for a long time. I don't quite remember how I got here, but I do remember a weird red light that was growing around me. Then there was a dark whisper, 'They are gone and lost and dead...'"

Darkpaw froze. _"Though the words have not been said,"_ she finished. Mossflight turned her shocked gaze to Darkpaw. "You...you heard that too?" she whispered breathlessly. "I thought I was the only one..." Darkpaw nuzzled Mossflight gently and said, "There was more. 'They have not yet been spoken, but everything around is already broken.'"

Mossflight stared at the ground with a sigh. Darkpaw blinked, finally noticing her surroundings entirely. A dim light spread throughout most of the forest. Some clearings were darker than others, and some were brighter. Mossflight shifted suddenly, her green eyes reflecting a gleam. "Mossflight? Are you okay?" Darkpaw questioned warily. There were no lit clearings that were close to them.

She didn't respond. Instead, Mossflight darted forward like a hunter chasing a hare. Darkpaw followed her in surprise. Mossflight was extremely fast, and Darkpaw started to lose her breath. She tripped over a tree root and collapsed, heaving. _I can't fall behind. I can't lose her._

Darkpaw shakily rose and looked around. The brown she-cat was nowhere in sight. As she was about to give up hope, Darkpaw saw that Mossflight had led her closer to one of the shining clearings. She slowly started to walk toward it, hoping Mossflight was there. The only thing Darkpaw could scent was blood.

She pushed through several bushes before emerging into the clearing. A single pawstep onto the illuminated grass sent relief through Darkpaw. She knew she would be safe here, at least for a while.

A strange object that looked like it was made by Twolegs lit the area. It was a diamond, a shape Darkpaw didn't often see. The diamond shape was connected to the ground by four beams. Awed, Darkpaw pushed a paw against one of the beams. It felt like a tree, but it was white and smooth.

"I can't describe how this makes me feel," came a whisper from across the clearing. Darkpaw walked around the object and saw Mossflight gazing into it. "I feel like I could spend eternity here, just sitting here, calm..." Mossflight continued. Darkpaw shivered at the tone of her voice. It was delicate and dreamy, unlike her normal voice.

"Mossflight, can you hear me?" Darkpaw said. Suddenly, all the memories of dark thoughts and experiences washed over Darkpaw, making her shiver violently. She instantly became worried about Mossflight. "Can you hear me?"

Mossflight continued staring at the object. Darkpaw was scared to take her eyes off of Mossflight; the diamond seemed to be hypnotizing her. Darkpaw found it difficult not to look at one of the few bright things she had ever come across.

She sighed, shook herself, and prepared to have an otherworldly feeling crash into her. She slowly lifted her head, seeing the object clearly. It was almost as bright as the sun. But, its light was so soft and soothing that Darkpaw just couldn't drag herself away from it.

Shadows flashed across her vision. Startled, Darkpaw jumped back, feeling a sharp claw rake across her. She winced and tried to run out of the clearing, but realized Mossflight was still staring at the light. "Mossflight! If you can hear me, run!" Darkpaw yowled.

The shadows gathered in a corner of her vision. With a mind blank from panic, Darkpaw jumped as high as she could into the nearest tree. She saw darkness starting to approach her, but suddenly the world froze. Darkpaw couldn't move. She wondered if time had somehow stopped.

Time suddenly appeared to start working again. Darkpaw flinched, but the shadow was no longer after her. It was darkening the bright clearing and racing toward Mossflight. "Mossflight! Move!" Darkpaw shrieked. She felt so scared that she still couldn't move, even though she was trying to.

The diamond shape suddenly fell, plunging everything into darkness. The shadows were surrounding Mossflight. They were somehow darker than the complete blackness that engulfed everything. Darkpaw heard hissing, the crack of a falling tree, a desperate yowl, and then silence.


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm finally updating again after several months, and I finally have ideas for the next few chapters! :3 I also have ideas for new stories, but I think I should write more of Dark Curses before starting anything new. I'll still be working on my torture story (Rainbowkit's Beautiful Universe) as well.**

 **...**

 **...**

"Mossflight...Mossflight..." Darkpaw whispered desperately to herself. She wondered if she had gone blind, or if everything was actually pitch-black. She looked around, seeing another glow in the distance. She jumped out of her tree and raced toward the light, stumbling over roots and clumps of grass.

It was a clearing similar to the one that hypnotized Mossflight. A bright, welcoming item attracted creatures. Darkpaw noticed a black rabbit staring at the light like it was a StarClan spirit. "I have to know what happened to Mossflight!" Darkpaw screeched to nothing in particular, seizing the light in her jaws. To her surprise, it continued to glow as she ran back to Mossflight's clearing.

Darkpaw dropped the blinding glow in front of her, finally seeing what damage had been done. A fallen tree lay across the edge of the clearing. Its once-gray bark was black and charred. Mossflight lay silently next to it; the tree had missed her when it fell. The beams holding the original light off the ground had vanished. Darkpaw noticed that the second light she found was very dim.

Darkpaw shivered as she stared at the very unsettling scene, not knowing what to do. She remembered one of the first things Mossflight had said to her. "Don't worry. Cats don't easily die here." Darkpaw let out a trembling sigh as she started to feel cold. "Everything around is already broken," she whispered, repeating the dark words of the dark figures.

With a shiver of effort, Darkpaw lifted Mossflight onto her back. The older cat was very heavy, and Darkpaw couldn't tell if she was dead or not. She just knew they had to leave the dead forest as soon as they could. Darkpaw turned around, hoping she was exiting and not going deeper into the forest.

But, there was no forest behind her. Instead there was a large field. It was peaceful, but it still sent apprehension flooding into every one of Darkpaw's muscles. She took a few cautious paw steps into the field, shifting uncomfortably to keep Mossflight on her back.

Suddenly Darkpaw nearly collapsed. She crouched low to the ground, panting. She wanted to believe that Mossflight's weight was just exhausting her, but she knew better. She knew that there were strange forces in this strange universe.

After closing her eyes for a moment that seemed to last an eternity, Darkpaw looked up. Flamefang's disapproving amber gaze locked with hers. She gasped. "Flamefang...I...I'm sorry..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Darkpaw, just follow me," Flamefang said. Darkpaw could hear that he sounded frustrated and disappointed. _Did I follow the wrong path? Why is he upset? Is this even about me?_

Worried thoughts closed in on Darkpaw, making Mossflight even harder to support. Darkpaw wondered if Flamefang had even noticed the brown cat. Flamefang finally stopped in front of a wall of overgrown weeds. Darkpaw set down Mossflight and stretched, struggling to breathe.

Flamefang looked down at Mossflight casually. An awkward silence fell. After a long pause, Darkpaw said, "I want to leave this place! I want to live a normal life as a normal cat!" She knew she sounded like a newborn kit, but she couldn't handle anything anymore.

She couldn't handle that there was only darkness. She couldn't handle the absence of stars in the miserable sky. She knew she was having a mental breakdown, but she didn't care anymore. She laid down next to Mossflight, rested her head on her paws, and let herself breathe. Her breathing was irregular and raspy.

Darkpaw heard rustling above the sound of her breathing. She silenced herself, worried, but nothing whispered to her or attacked her. The rustling stopped. "Get up," Flamefang said gently. Darkpaw obeyed, starting to feel calmer.

The rustling had been Flamefang taking some of the tall weeds to make a comfortable nest. He guided Darkpaw towards it, and once she reached it she immediately fell asleep. Flamefang watched her sleep for a moment, then moved to examine Mossflight.

The she-cat lay unmoving. Flamefang pushed his nose into Mossflight's fur to find that it was intensely cold. Clearly, she had died when the shadows surrounded her. There was no other way her fur could have been nearly freezing.

She was gone, but Flamefang did not bury her. He instead slipped through the wall of plants. He dug into the ground with his paw, feeling content as he saw a small patch of white. He carefully pulled a flower from inside the cold ground. It was large and easily the most colorful thing in the area. The white petals were like rainbows among the black and gray.

Flamefang returned to where Darkpaw was now in a peaceful, deep sleep. Mossflight was still sprawled out on her side. Flamefang placed the flower between her jaws and backed away. He closed his eyes and whispered, "This world, however broken, is not a complete nightmare." He proceeded to chant under his breath in a strange language that no cat could ever understand.

Mossflight moved. She curled herself into a comfortable position, allowing her tail to fall across her face. Her body started to rise and fall with rhythmic breathing. Flamefang watched, dark amusement glimmering in his eyes.

"Cats don't easily die here."


End file.
